Friday, March 28, 2014

Spring in Bloom

Do you know about the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden? In mid-April the pink Japanese cherry blossoms take over Brooklyn's Botanic Garden and create this breathtaking scene. Go here to learn more. The website has a time-lapse video created from 3,000 digital photos, one taken every three minutes from April 8 to April 26, 2008. If you love blossoms, watch this and you will be in heaven.

The British playwright and novelist J.B. Priestly, who by his own admission was a bit of a curmudgeon, became emotional at the sight of spring blossoms:

"Blossom -- apple, pear, cherry, plum, almond blossom -- in the sun...after fifty years this delight in the foaming branches is unchanged. I believe that if I lived to be a thousand and were left with some glimmer of eyesight, this delight would remain...At least once very spring on a fine morning...we stare again at the blossom and are back in Eden."

This quote is from the book Delight by J.B. Priestley. Do you know about this book? It is a gem. About sixty years ago, shortly after the end of the Second World War, Priestly put together this collection of essays in an effort to boost national morale. It celebrates the simple pleasures of life and reminds us that it's often the little things that make us the happiest. It is funny, wise, and beautifully written. Get yourself a copy and keep it on your bookshelf to dip into when you are feeling a little blah. It is guaranteed to brighten up your day.

And speaking of "delights," I have just discovered that my spring trip to New York will coincide with the cherry blossom display at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I have never been before and now can't wait to visit!

12 comments:

Such a lovely book to dip into. There's things I'd never have thought to include, like starting a new box of matches - which is delightful, but only if they're the old-fashioned sandpapery kind - safety matches don't do it! And I share JB's delight in Not Going to parties.

I do very much enjoy the orange blossoms that are making Phoenix and the surrounding cities smell like heaven right now and I'm sure the cherry blossoms would be so wonderful to experience. How lucky you are to get to see them on your trip! I've never heard of the Priestly book, but it sounds lovely.

J. B. Priestly is certainly a man of the hour, or at least of my hour, for I just read another delightful post about him and "Delight", with another quote, on Belle's blog at bellebookandcandle.blogspot.com/2014/03/delight-by-jb-priestly.html#comment-form, and am now more than anxious to become acquainted with his essays.

My most immediate garden event is the first of the daffodil blossoms about to open, and the song of spring peepers, and the greening of this very winter weary Cutoff.

Thanks for sharing, I love Japanese cherry blossoms and recalls a lot of good time spend under a tree we had when I was a child :) I am new to your blog, but I already love all your writing and pictures. I will like to send you a link to a beautiful garden in England not far away from Sissinghurst Castle where Vita Sackville-West ived. Maybe you know it, it is called Great Dixter Garden and BBC have made a wonderful documentary about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBbe6bhmhgs

About Me

I created this blog to share the many things that inspire me. I love literature, home, gardens, art, ballet, cooking, travel, fashion, the writers and artists of the Bloomsbury Group, and Italy. Books are my passion and many of my favorites are set in England. I was named after my great-grandmother whose name was Domenica, Italian for Sunday. Please join me as I write about my daily inspiration and celebrate the joys of life.